St. Thomas More Catholic High School educates students to be seekers of truth, individuals of character and “God’s servant first.”
Our campus is a spiritual and faith-filled place, and we continually strive to live our patron saint’s mission of being “God’s servant first.” We are committed to providing events, programs and opportunities that promote the Word of God to our students. From offerings that include weekly Liturgy, the offering of Sacraments, campus ministry, retreats, prayer groups, and mission trips, all members of the St. Thomas More community are encouraged and expected to live their faith.
St. Thomas More Catholic High School is an exemplary Catholic High School that is mission focused and serves primarily the registered parishioners of the 12 owner parishes. St. ThomasMore Catholic High School seeks to help students reach their individual potential and is committed to the development of the whole person.
St. Thomas More Catholic High School is grounded in Catholicism and integrates Christian values in all aspects of the student’s education. The school offers a rigorous academic program and prepares students to be global leaders and 21st century thinkers. St. Thomas More supports its students with a dedicated faculty, technology, facilities, and resources that create the very best opportunities for success in life beyond high school. Administration and staff engage with the stakeholders, including owner parishes, parents, families, schools within the owner parishes, alumni and the community.
The school is a good steward of its resources. St. Thomas More Catholic High School graduates are community-minded servant leaders who make decisions based on Catholic values and teachings.
The tradition of Catholic schools has been part of Lafayette and Acadiana since 1821. St. Thomas More Catholic High School opened its doors in 1982, after four years of hard work and planning by many who were dedicated to providing quality Catholic education in southwest Lafayette.
Beginning as a consolidation of two Catholic high schools, STM has expanded over the past years into an educational community serving the 12 owner church parishes, and the surrounding church and civil parishes. Located on a 45-acre tract with 3.5 acres under roof, STM provides a co-educational environment for academic, spiritual, athletic, and co-curricular pursuits.
In 1998, an athletic complex, including a stadium, football/soccer field, and a track, was constructed. This addition included a second gymnasium, seven classrooms, and a multi-purpose room to better serve students, faculty, and staff. The most recent capital campaign, Envision More launched in April 2018 with the addition of ten new classrooms and a new state-of-the-art facility for our Options Program. The Chapel at St. Thomas More opened in early 2022 and the third phase of Envision More, the Our Lady of Lourdes Cougar Athletic Center was completed in the fall of 2024. The final phase of Envision More, Creative Arts Center is scheduled to breakground in the fall of 2026.
Throughout this growth, STM has continued to uphold the strong moral Catholic values instilled by the religious orders of the Christian Brothers, the Sisters of the Most Holy Sacrament, the Mount Carmel Sisters, and the Sisters of the Divine Providence.
School Crest
The crest or coat-of-arms of St. Thomas More Catholic High School was developed in 1981. The center of the crest is the Tudor Rose which represents the union of the two royal houses of England and was worn by the Chancellor of England. Each petal of the rose suggests a heart shape, symbolizing charity, goodness, love of God and country. The rose is surrounded by the STM monogram.
Within the STM monogram, is the cross, symbolizing More’s Catholicity, his devotion as a man of God, and his deep religious convictions, the source of More’s strength.
Directly below the STM monogram, the crest is embellished by More’s actual signature.
Sir Thomas More
Born in 1478 and living for 57 years, St. Thomas More was a scholar, tutor to the future king, lawyer, family man, celebrated wit, and finally, Lord Chancellor of the realm. As the playwright Robert Bolt typed him, he was "a man for all seasons." Thomas More is a model of true servant leadership. He had everything and sacrificed it all on a matter of religious principle.
Thomas More was canonized a Saint in 1935. His feast day is observed on June 22. St. Thomas More was a person who loved life, but loved his God more. He was a fervent man of faith, a loyal countryman, an edifying professional, and a committed Catholic.
As the patron of our school, the intention is to reflect St. Thomas More's qualities in our school philosophy and programs. Hopefully, all of the students who attend St. Thomas More Catholic High School will, like Thomas More himself, mirror these same virtues of love, hard work, faith in God, loyalty to the Church, and educational scholarship.